All posts tagged: confidence

Confidence: The Cartoon That Helped America Get Through the Great Depression (1933)

Confidence: The Cartoon That Helped America Get Through the Great Depression (1933)

Published by José Betancourt

No more bum­min’, let’s all get to work… Actu­al­ly, hold up a sec. We’ll all be hap­pi­er and more pro­duc­tive if we take a moment to start our work day with Con­fi­dence, a pep­py musi­cal ani­ma­tion from 1933, star­ring new­ly elect­ed Pres­i­dent Franklin Delano Roo­sevelt and Mick­ey Mouse pre­cur­sor, Oswald the Lucky Rab­bit.  Few Americans—today we’d refer to them as the 1%—could escape the pri­va­tions of the Great Depres­sion. The movies were one indus­try that con­tin­ued to thrive through this dark peri­od, pre­cise­ly because they offered a few hours of respite. No one went to the pic­tures to see a reflec­tion of their own lives. Gor­geous gowns, glam­orous Man­hat­tan apart­ments and roman­tic trou­ble cer­tain to be resolved in hap­py endings…remember Mia Far­row’s belea­guered wait­ress bask­ing in the Pur­ple Rose of Cairo’s reas­sur­ing glow? Giv­en the pub­lic’s pref­er­ence for escapist fare, direc­tor Bill Nolan, the Father of Rub­ber Hose Ani­ma­tion, could have played it safe by gloss­ing over the back­sto­ry that leads Oswald to seek out advice from the Com­man­der in Chief. Instead, Nolan deliv­ered his joy­ful car­toon ani­mals into night­mare ter­ri­to­ry, the Depres­sion per­son­i­fied as …

Growing Confidence Through Action | Psychology Today

Growing Confidence Through Action | Psychology Today

Published by Jenni Sidey

Every decision we make, every opportunity we pursue (or avoid), is shaped by our readiness to take risks. Decisions such as speaking up in a meeting, starting a new career, moving to a different city, or simply trying something new require courage to step beyond the familiar. And these choices ultimately shape our future path. But, too often, our anxiety holds us back. We hesitate, procrastinate, and choose safety while recognizing that growth requires taking risks. Individuals with intense anxiety prefer the predictable and familiar routines. The familiar routines reduce anxiety. Avoiding discomfort can increase anxiety over time, as the brain becomes conditioned to link discomfort with danger rather than growth. In the short term, avoiding risks feels safe. In the long term, it limits us. For example, people with social anxiety problems can easily cope with anxiety by avoiding social situations at the expense of their professional and personal lives. That is why people feel more comfortable instant messaging each other than having a face-to-face conversation. The more they try to escape anxiety and …

Arrogance Isn’t Confidence, It’s Fear Dressed as Power

Arrogance Isn’t Confidence, It’s Fear Dressed as Power

Published by Jenni Sidey

Arrogance shows its angles across dating apps, dinner parties, mommy meetups, and the kinds of marriages that love to keep score. You can spot it in the cutting remark that passes as humor, the dismissive smirk that leaves no room for curiosity, and the prideful drive to outperform. It looks like the influencer who speaks in haughty absolutes, the colleague whose eyes narrow when you challenge their idea, and the partner who positions their value above everyone who came before them. It’s a familiar part of our social landscape—and sometimes, it’s aspirational. “If only I had that kind of self-assurance,” a client once told me, grinning admiringly at an Instagram reel that was practically vibrating with bravado. What if it wasn’t evidence of self-assurance at all—but its traumatized opposite? We live in a culture that mistakes dominance for strength and swagger for confidence. We glorify posturing and mistrust humility, assuming that the boldest voice in the room belongs to the most secure person in it. As a trauma-focused therapist, I’ve come to understand that arrogance …

Confidence or Narcissism? | Psychology Today

Confidence or Narcissism? | Psychology Today

Published by Jenni Sidey

Most of us are very poor at distinguishing narcissism from confidence. Yet having the skill is integral to our thriving. Confidence presents with self-awareness, empathy, kindness, sociality, and security in one’s abilities, which arises through the physiology of experiencing a safe environment. Conversely, narcissism presents with a lack of self-awareness, empathy, kindness, and sociality, and with profound insecurities and an inflated sense of self that arises through the physiology of experiencing an unsafe environment. Confident people uplift others to feel their own emotional warmth and joy, while narcissists diminish others to enhance their own sense of dominance and pleasure. From an evolutionary perspective, perceived threat demands that at times we have a strong self-focus as a mechanism for survival. An environment of safety allows for the dissipation of self-focus and amplification of other-focus; it is a necessity for the thriving of the tribe and the species. Threat can bring out a phenotype of approach, aggression, assault, and antisocial behavior that is well preserved and valued within our DNA, as it serves us and our tribe …

“You don’t need an hour, a gym membership or a complicated program”—a certified trainer shares the 21-minute routine that builds strength, balance and confidence

“You don’t need an hour, a gym membership or a complicated program”—a certified trainer shares the 21-minute routine that builds strength, balance and confidence

Published by Jenni Sidey

There are many benefits you’ll experience if you work out at home. For instance, this sessions devised by certified trainer Jill Jones will help strengthen your bones and muscles, improve your balance and stability, and aid mobility and joint health. But most importantly, according to the owner of Colosseum Gym in New Jersey and co-founder of online platform FitQuo, it will boost your confidence and independence as you age, something Jones believes is “worth more than any fitness metric”. Article continues below You may like “When a new client walks through my door or logs into a session from their living room, the first thing I tell them is that you don’t need an hour, a gym membership or a complicated program,” she tells Fit&Well. “The reason this routine works isn’t just the exercises—it’s that it’s doable. “Consistency beats intensity every single time. People start nervous and intimidated and leave capable, confident and educated. That shift, the moment they realize what their body is still capable of, is exactly why I do this work.” Jones’ …

New study links fashion satisfaction to mental well-being and social confidence in middle-aged women

New study links fashion satisfaction to mental well-being and social confidence in middle-aged women

Published by José Betancourt

A new study suggests that finding well-fitting, age-appropriate clothing plays a role in the overall mental health of middle-aged women. The research indicates that when women in this demographic are satisfied with their fashion options, they tend to experience higher levels of well-being and engage in less social avoidance. These findings were recently published in the Journal of Macromarketing. Researchers Jekaterina Rogaten and Viviana Rullo conducted this study to explore how the modern fashion industry impacts middle-aged consumers. The fashion market frequently prioritizes youth-oriented styles, leaving older women with fewer choices that fit their changing bodies and professional needs. This demographic wields high spending power and often holds senior career positions, yet these women frequently report feeling invisible to major clothing brands. “As a woman, I’ve personally experienced how societal expectations shift with age—there’s this strange paradox where you start to feel freer, yet also quite invisible,” explained Rogaten, a senior lecturer at University of the Arts London. “When I shared these feelings with my co-author, Viviana Rullo, she realized her own experiences mirrored mine. …

Speed vs. Depth: How Does Using AI for Work Affect Our Confidence?

Speed vs. Depth: How Does Using AI for Work Affect Our Confidence?

Published by skeptic

Be careful delegating your work to that chatbot: A new peer-reviewed study published this month by the American Psychological Association found that people who heavily rely on AI tools for work tasks reported feeling less confident in their abilities and had less ownership over their work. There has been growing research on how our brains function when we use AI tools. A landmark study from MIT in 2025 found that our brains don’t retain as much information or employ necessary critical thinking skills when writing tasks are outsourced to AI chatbots.  This new study aimed to understand how our human behavior, specifically executive functions — like strategic planning and decision making — can change when AI is part of the process.  Sarah Baldeo, the study’s author and a Ph.D. candidate in AI and neuroscience at Middlesex University in England, noted in the paper that these findings do not show that AI is harming or causing cognitive decline. Rather, they “highlight variability in how users distribute effort between themselves and AI systems under conditions of convenience …

If You Feel Like You Just Can’t Catch A Break, These 8 Reminders Are Worth Holding Onto

If You Feel Like You Just Can’t Catch A Break, These 8 Reminders Are Worth Holding Onto

Published by Jenni Sidey

You’ve had a really downright awful week. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. Just like the saying goes, “When it rains, it pours.”  That’s how last week felt for me: My washer broke, my car got towed, my shower stopped draining water, I wasn’t getting my paychecks, my roommate and I got stuck driving in the snow, and everyone just passed by without any sign of acknowledgement, and that’s only the start of it. I know I’m not the only one who has had these weeks, because that’s life.  As much as it felt like I couldn’t catch a break (I almost felt like I was literally just waiting for the next thing to go wrong), it taught me a lot. Psychotherapist Leah Marone explained that our brains simply aren’t built to operate at full throttle all day, and when stress keeps piling on without any room to breathe, the whole system stays locked in response mode; it’s basically the worst. Some seasons of life just feel relentlessly hard, and when you get stuck in …

11 Signs You’re Actually At Peace With Zero Desire To Be Understood, Admired, Or Pitied

11 Signs You’re Actually At Peace With Zero Desire To Be Understood, Admired, Or Pitied

Published by Jenni Sidey

Especially in today’s world, filled with chaos and constant stimulation, finding peace isn’t an easy task. However, according to experts from Harvard Health, there are so many accessible mindset shifts and behaviors you can adopt to live a healthier, happier life, despite everything going on around you. From shifting your routines to building relationships that don’t urge you to question your worth, all of these habits are beneficial for living a more grounded life. However, there are also many signs you’re actually at peace with zero desire to be understood, admired, or pitied by anyone. You’re secure in who you are, and that grounded authenticity makes life more fulfilling and meaningful. Here are 11 signs you’re actually at peace with zero desire to be understood, admired, or pitied 1. You’re comfortable spending time alone StockPhotoDirectors | Shutterstock As a study from Nature Communications explains, a person’s attitude about their alone time shapes their experience of it. So, if someone is constantly avoiding the quiet of solitude and overthinking when they spend time alone, chances are they’re …

People With Social Anxiety Say These 3 Things Are What Finally Got Them Out Of The House | April Sherman

People With Social Anxiety Say These 3 Things Are What Finally Got Them Out Of The House | April Sherman

Published by Jenni Sidey

Come on, you know who you are: You wish for a more fulfilling life because you feel bored, and you know that you can change it if only you could get out of the house. Where to begin and how to start evades you. In the evenings after work or on weekends, you plug in to tune out. Avoiding life can be attractive and make it easy not to deal with life as it is. But be truthful, you end up feeling lonely and bored if you don’t try to socialize.  If you’re noticing you are too involved in bad news and not living your life, then what are you waiting for? There is a time and place to relax and distract yourself, and that’s fine. But avoiding life because dealing with anxiety seems impossible, especially social anxiety. You blush and sweat. Your rapid heart pounds in your ears.  Research has shown how the fear of being judged negatively in social situations can cause distress and limit life. You may have come to believe anxiety …